Improvement in children s chairs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

vJEROME F'. DOWNING, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDRENS CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,900, dated July 15, 1873; application filed `June 24, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME F. DOWNING, of the city and county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Chairs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon making part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side view, the chair being designed for a rocking-chair. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side view, the chair being designed for a Walking-chair. Fig. 4 is a top-plan View of the seat.

The object of my present invention, which is an improvement on the patent issued to me May 6, 1873, .N o. 138,620, isV to so construct a childs nursery-chair as to permit of its being used as either a rocking, necessary, or walking chair, the several parts being so connected by swivel-joints, hinged or pivoted arms, dto.,

.that the chair can be changed at pleasure withoutdetaching any feature, but simplyby swinging or sliding the features not required for use out of position. The nature of my invention consists in securing' the cushion of the rockingchair to the seat of the necessary-chair in such manner that, while it is not detachable therefrom, it is yet so connected with said seat as to permit of its freely sliding thereon, and in such manner as to cover or leave exposed, as may be desired, the opening in the nurserychair. The seat and cushion thus connected are secured by elbow-shaped arms to the inner face of the arms supports, and at pivotcenters thereon, which permits of the connect ed seat and cushion' beingswung, when desired, down under the back of the chair, which will leave the entire frame of the chair open and unobstructed, and in condition to be used as a Walkin g-chair. 'My invention also consists in so connecting the swivel bolt or bearing of lthe table with the arm of the chair as to permit of its ready adjustment. My invention also consists in providing the table with an adjustable rest, which furnishes a comfortable support for the child, and is far preferable to the sharp edge of the table for the child to lean against.

The construction and operation of my in vention are as follows A A are the fore, and A A the hind, legs or supports of the chair, which are connected by cross-bars B B, and seated or otherwise secured on horizontal base-boards or cross-bars B B', to which are hinged, at b b, the rockers G C, on the inner faces of which are secured the rollers or casters C C. Onto the upper sections of these legs or supports A A and A A are mortised, or otherwise secured, the arms D D, to the rear section of which is secured the back E.

In the arrangement and construction of such a frame as I have herein described, I amwell aware there is nothing new, as the features referred to, and their combination and arrangement, are old, and are to be found in former devices of this character. The features that I will now proceed to describe are believed to be novel, both in their combination and arrangement, and comprisewhat constitutes my present invention, or my improvement on my former patent, hereinbefore referred to.

Into the forward section of the cross-bars B B are mortised the ends of a horizontal crossbar, F, and on the inner faces of these bars B B are secured parallel strips F F', as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l. This bar F and strips Fl F form, as it were, a frame, open at the' rear, in which, when in position for use, either as a rocking or necessary chair, rests and is supported the seat, or the seat and cushion, as the case may be. The seat G is a iiat wooden leaf, and is formed with an opening, g., at its center, for the child to use, in connection with a chamber or other vessel. 0n the lateral faces of this seat G are secured the horizontal sections of the elbow-shaped arms G G. These arms are constructed of metal or any other suitable material, and are secured to the inner faces of the hind legs or supports Al Al by bolts et c, on which they turn as on pivot-centers. The form, arrangement, and connection of these arms are clearly shown in Figs. l and 3. 0n the upper face of this seat G, and at the outer edges thereof are secured, so as to run parallel with each other, horizontal strips, H H', which are beveled on their inner faces, and thus serve as iianged guides or bearings for the frame of the cushion H. On the frame of the cushion H are stop-plates, h h,which, in connection with the pins h h pleasure.

on the guidestrips H' H', serve to prevent the cushion H being pushed beyond the desired point in either direct-ion, and yet allows sufcient movement to the frame of the cushion as to enable it to entirely cover the seat G, or to be so drawn back as to expose its open ing, g, as occasion requires. On the under side of the horizontal bar F is secured a button, f, which serves to support the front section of the seat, and which is essential, especially when the cushion H is pushed back, as it then has no other support. Instead of this button, j', a hook and eye may be employed, both of which devices are shown in Fig. 2, although only one is necessary. On the rear face of the seat G is also a button, y', Which serves to retain the cushion H in position on the seat, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In one of the arms D of the chair, usually the right, is eut a slot, D', as clearly shown in Fig. l. In this slot` rests and travels a sliding block, which is provided with iian ged or guide-bearing plates, k 7c, one on the inner and the other on the outer side of said arm. These plates are of such dimensions that their edges are iiush with the upper and lower section of the arm, which insures the block always moving in a true and proper position Within the slot. On the outer plate K is secured a sprin g-latch, K', the pin 7c of which passes through au opening in the lower section of said plate and engages with one of a series of recesses or notches cut in the arm, and by which means the sliding block K can be locked at any desired point and its relative position regulated at In this sliding-block K is secured by a swivel-joint or bearing l the table or leaf L. On the outer face of the other arm L is secured a spring-latch, L', which engages with a flanged lock-plate, Z', on the opposite side of the table and retains the same in position.

On the under face of the table, in horizontal bevel guide-bars, m m, is secured and slides a plate or rest, M, which terminates in a broad curved bearing, M', as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and which affords a comfortable and safe support for the child. The rest or support is adjustable, and is held at any desired position by means of a spring-latch, M', the pin of which enters and engages With one of a series of holes in the under face of the table. And

this adjustability of the rest, in connection with the sliding block to Which the table is attached, provides the table with a double system of adjustment.

From the foregoing description the opera tion of my improvement will readily be understood. The chair being in position,shown in Fig. l, is a neat and safe rocking-chair. The table L and rest N each being adjustable, the chair can readily be made to accommodate itself to children of different age and size. When it is desirable to dispense with the table you simply have to release the latch L', lift the table to a vertical position, and turn it on its swivel-joint, l, to a position down alongside of the chair. Should it now be de' sirable to convert the rocking-chair into a necessary-chair you simply have to turn down the button g' and slide the cushion-frame H back, which. leaves the opening g exposed and uncovered. TWhen it is desirable to convert the chair into a walking-chair you simply have to undo the button f, slide the cushionn frame H back so as to leave it free of the horizontal bar F, and swing the seat G and cushion H on the arms G' G' down and out beyond and below the back E; then turn the rockers C C up so as to leave the casters C' C in contact with the floor, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and an open, unobstructed frame on rollers is provided, and one in which the child can safely support itself and readily push the chair.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The seat G having an opening, G, sliding cushionframe H and the pivoted elbow-shaped arms G' G', the same being combined and arranged in connection with the frame of a childs chair, in such manner as to operate substantially as described.

2. The arm D of a childs chair, having a slot, D', table L, and swivel-joint l, when the latter is secured to a sliding block so as to operate within said slot D', substantially as described.

3. The table L having cleats or strips M M, sliding-rest M, and spring-latch M', the Whole being constructed, combined, and arranged to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

. JEROME F. DOWNING.

Witnesses:

S. D. C. LANGLEY, EDWIN A. SmoNns. 

